from Cooper.
I can hear you down there.
Spying on me?
You’re so damn loud.
Sorry about the noisy corkscrew. She
snickered.
You have wine?
In hand.
I ordered pizza. I could feed you for once.
Is this a proposition?
Whatever you want.
Allie tapped the plastic case of her phone with her
nails. Seeing Cooper could be the perfect ending to what had already been a damn
good day.
He stood in his doorway listening to the telltale
sound of flip-flops on the stairs. Allie reached the third floor with the
bottle of wine in one hand and her half-full wineglass in the other.
“What took you so long?” he quipped.
Her entire face lit up when she smiled, putting his
body, especially everything south of the waistband of his jeans, into launch
mode. “Traffic was a bitch.”
His hands snaked around her waist the instant she was
inside his apartment. He kissed her softly, drinking in the taste of her mouth
before pulling back and licking his lower lip. “Merlot?”
“Cabernet,” she answered.
“I need to get you to teach me more about wine. I’m
such an idiot with anything other than beer.”
“Tasting it on someone else’s lips isn’t exactly the preferred
way to learn about it.”
“I don’t know,” he replied as the apartment intercom
buzzed. He lurched for it and pressed the button. “I prefer it that way.”
Cooper paid the pizza guy and carried the box into the
living room, the aroma of pepperoni filling the air. He placed the pizza on the
coffee table where Allie had set out plates and napkins.
She patted the cotton cover of his futon. “Now that
I’m sitting on this thing, I can’t believe you didn’t buy a real couch a long
time ago.”
He put a slice of pizza on her plate and handed it to
her. “I know. Typical lazy guy. The sad thing is that I fall asleep on this
thing every night watching TV or playing video games.”
Allie looped her tongue around the melted mozzarella
that bridged her mouth and pizza. It was the most enticing image he’d seen
since they’d showered together a couple of days before. “Did you order anything
other than the sofa and armchairs?” she asked.
“No. Why?”
“Lamps? Throw pillows?”
He cocked his eyebrow. “Sounds like your department.”
She shook her head in dismay. “Obviously Melanie
didn’t do her job. She should have distracted you with her beauty while talking
you into a bunch of expensive home accessories.”
“She was too busy trying to talk me into having a
drink with her.” Why the fuck would you say that? He cleared his throat.
“Not that I was interested.” Nice save, asshole.
Allie shrugged, looking up at the ceiling as if pretending
she didn’t have a care in the world. “I’m surprised. She’s beautiful.”
He hated seeing the uncertain look on her face. It was
so unlike the Allie he adored. “She’s not that great.” That didn’t seem to
improve the situation as she set her plate down on the table and wiped her
mouth while avoiding eye contact. “You know, we didn’t get to have a real shopping
date that day. Do you want to try again on Saturday? There must be some throw
pillows that need a good home. I could take you to lunch.”
She managed half of a smile. “Okay. That would be
nice.”
“Oh, I forgot to ask if you want to come by the new
office on Friday night. We’re moving in on Thursday and having a little get-together
with employees and their spouses and significant others.” His shoulders tensed
as he realized he’d lumped her in with the wives and girlfriends when he and Allie
had discussed no such thing. “I’d love to have you come. If you want. I mean,
no big deal.” Shut the fuck up. You’re being such an ass.
“Um, sure,” she answered with an uncharacteristic
squeak in her voice. “Sounds fun.”
The call Allie had been waiting for came Friday morning.
Valeti Cookies loved her initial proposal, officially wanted to hire the
I can hear you down there.
Spying on me?
You’re so damn loud.
Sorry about the noisy corkscrew. She
snickered.
You have wine?
In hand.
I ordered pizza. I could feed you for once.
Is this a proposition?
Whatever you want.
Allie tapped the plastic case of her phone with her
nails. Seeing Cooper could be the perfect ending to what had already been a damn
good day.
He stood in his doorway listening to the telltale
sound of flip-flops on the stairs. Allie reached the third floor with the
bottle of wine in one hand and her half-full wineglass in the other.
“What took you so long?” he quipped.
Her entire face lit up when she smiled, putting his
body, especially everything south of the waistband of his jeans, into launch
mode. “Traffic was a bitch.”
His hands snaked around her waist the instant she was
inside his apartment. He kissed her softly, drinking in the taste of her mouth
before pulling back and licking his lower lip. “Merlot?”
“Cabernet,” she answered.
“I need to get you to teach me more about wine. I’m
such an idiot with anything other than beer.”
“Tasting it on someone else’s lips isn’t exactly the preferred
way to learn about it.”
“I don’t know,” he replied as the apartment intercom
buzzed. He lurched for it and pressed the button. “I prefer it that way.”
Cooper paid the pizza guy and carried the box into the
living room, the aroma of pepperoni filling the air. He placed the pizza on the
coffee table where Allie had set out plates and napkins.
She patted the cotton cover of his futon. “Now that
I’m sitting on this thing, I can’t believe you didn’t buy a real couch a long
time ago.”
He put a slice of pizza on her plate and handed it to
her. “I know. Typical lazy guy. The sad thing is that I fall asleep on this
thing every night watching TV or playing video games.”
Allie looped her tongue around the melted mozzarella
that bridged her mouth and pizza. It was the most enticing image he’d seen
since they’d showered together a couple of days before. “Did you order anything
other than the sofa and armchairs?” she asked.
“No. Why?”
“Lamps? Throw pillows?”
He cocked his eyebrow. “Sounds like your department.”
She shook her head in dismay. “Obviously Melanie
didn’t do her job. She should have distracted you with her beauty while talking
you into a bunch of expensive home accessories.”
“She was too busy trying to talk me into having a
drink with her.” Why the fuck would you say that? He cleared his throat.
“Not that I was interested.” Nice save, asshole.
Allie shrugged, looking up at the ceiling as if pretending
she didn’t have a care in the world. “I’m surprised. She’s beautiful.”
He hated seeing the uncertain look on her face. It was
so unlike the Allie he adored. “She’s not that great.” That didn’t seem to
improve the situation as she set her plate down on the table and wiped her
mouth while avoiding eye contact. “You know, we didn’t get to have a real shopping
date that day. Do you want to try again on Saturday? There must be some throw
pillows that need a good home. I could take you to lunch.”
She managed half of a smile. “Okay. That would be
nice.”
“Oh, I forgot to ask if you want to come by the new
office on Friday night. We’re moving in on Thursday and having a little get-together
with employees and their spouses and significant others.” His shoulders tensed
as he realized he’d lumped her in with the wives and girlfriends when he and Allie
had discussed no such thing. “I’d love to have you come. If you want. I mean,
no big deal.” Shut the fuck up. You’re being such an ass.
“Um, sure,” she answered with an uncharacteristic
squeak in her voice. “Sounds fun.”
The call Allie had been waiting for came Friday morning.
Valeti Cookies loved her initial proposal, officially wanted to hire the
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